How 'Emotional Dominance' Translates To Mikel Arteta's Acumen

Mikel Arteta underlined ‘emotional dominance’ as a driving characteristic on the pitch to securing recent victories, and this translates to his own acumen during games to make alterations.

Arsenal return to Champions League action against Lille at the Emirates on Tuesday night, hoping to earn another three points in the league phase on their quest to go one step further in Europe’s premier competition.

Arteta’s men recorded a soaring expected goals figure of 4.05 during their opening 1-0 win in Naples, which was the highest they have ever reached in the Champions League, according to Opta.

It should have resulted in a far more comfortable scoreline. Arsenal pummelled their opponent’s goal, but lacked the end product to make more of their 26 attempts count.

Martin Ødegaard’s strike from the edge of the area crashed in off the post in the 75th minute to finally find the breakthrough amid his rich vein of form prior to the international break.

This type of aesthetic and slick display has been in short supply ever since when confronting more well-drilled defences, including in the most recent 2-1 win over a spirited Leeds United outfit.

Substitutions, or the term ‘finishers’ as Arteta prefers to borrow from rugby union, have been significant masterstrokes so far this season to prevailing when they are not so threatening.

Most notably, summer signing Bruno Guimarães scored vital goals against Sunderland and Leeds, after entering proceedings in the second half and sharpening his side’s attack.

When asked to expand on ‘emotional dominance’ in reference to the persistence shown against Napoli and Leeds, Arteta described the requirements in different contexts to succeed in his pre-match press conference.

‘It’s owning the moment, leading that moment, and making sure that we are in the emotional state that the game requires and not something else.

‘If the game requires a reaction, energy and spirit, a boldness, a courage to deliver something else or change it, that’s the way we have to act.

‘If the game demands everybody to bring the temperature down, we have to be able to do that. In order to do that, we need to really understand what is happening.’

This can equally apply to Arteta’s constant prerogative to entrust the right players waiting in the wings to make an impact in the necessary way. 

Guimarães’ performances have illustrated an injection of impetus, which Arteta has become familiar with when calling on the Brazilian's services.

Other players will suit different needs, and learning what signals they send on whether the temperature is raised or taken down a notch seems valuable.

Ankle injuries in the warm-down following the Leeds game to Martín Zubimendi and Piero Hincapié will no doubt irk the Gunners boss, but fitness blows to two players does not make the depth vanish anymore and this facilitates Arteta’s prowess in making changes.

Flourishing in different contexts falls on the shoulders of Arteta, and he is more adept at negotiating this than most in dugouts around Europe right now, all with reliable resources brimming with flexibility.